


shaped by the light

by julek



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Winter At Kaer Morhen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29024031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julek/pseuds/julek
Summary: A lazy morning spent in a love-filled room deep into the Kaedwen mountains.
Relationships: Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia
Comments: 5
Kudos: 36





	shaped by the light

The sun filters through the curtains slowly, almost timidly, and Eskel feels the warmth on his face before he can see it.

He shifts on the bed, snuggling further down the blankets, seeking their warmth and comfort for a while longer. The first few weeks at the keep had been long and exhausting, full of roofs and walls expecting to be repaired, animals demanding to be seen to, and meats waiting to be curated. It was routine, and one he enjoyed tending to, but every year the cold and the weariness seemed to seep into his veins and set into his bones with more stubbornness than before. Now, as most of the work has been done and only his usual, less demanding chores await, he can indulge in the soft weight of the sheets against his bare skin, the quiet sounds of the keep grounding him.

There’s a muted noise at his side, muffled by a pillow. Geralt’s laying on his stomach, his hair long and not quite shining against the early morning light, white and soft where it meets the line of his spine. Eskel gently traces his cheekbone, feeling the warmth of Geralt’s arm where it’s resting, over his stomach. He knows the Witcher is awake, no matter how hard he tries to deny it; even though his lifestyle demands it, Geralt’s never been fond of waking so early. Now, safe and tucked away in a fortress lost between mountains, he finally gets to truly rest his body, adjusting to the gentler pace of the winter life.

“Good morning,” Eskel murmurs, his voice thick with sleep. He tucks a strand of hair behind Geralt’s ear.

Something that Geralt would try to deny is a whine comes from his mouth as he snuggles closer to Eskel, burying his nose in his armpit, trying to ignore reality for a while longer.

Eskel clicks his tongue. “That’s gross, you know.” Still, he tugs the blankets up, so they’re covering them. “I haven’t bathed in, what, half a week? If you’re trying to smother yourself into sleep, it’s not gonna take long.”

He feels Geralt huff a laugh against his skin, then press a kiss to his ribs. “Sounds good to me.” He buries himself under the covers, tangling their legs together in what should be a tender gesture, but Eskel knows him well enough to take it for what it is: a trap.

“I’ll have to get up soon, you know,” he says quietly, poking at the Geralt-shaped lump next to him. “Your attempts at keeping me won’t work today.”

Geralt lifts the covers just enough for his amber gaze to show, eyes narrowed and a single eyebrow raised. “Worked just fine yesterday. And the day before.”

“I’m feeling particularly strong-willed this morning.”

Geralt tsks but comes back up, sitting back against the headboard, his shoulder knocking against Eskel’s playfully. “Fine.”

Eskel laughs, then presses a slow kiss to Geralt’s lips. “For your troubles.”

“Hmm.”

They find each other with practiced ease, seeking each other’s warmth with wandering hands and well-placed kisses, basking in their soft cocoon in the sunlit room. Geralt looks beautiful first thing in the morning, his cheeks pink and his hair disheveled, sleep still tugging at the corner of his eyes, and Eskel can’t help but stare and wonder, can’t help but run his fingers over the lines on Geralt’s face, his lips following every one.

Eventually they get up — Eskel does, at least, kicking the blankets back and pulling on a fresh pair of breeches while Geralt lays back down, trying to steal a few moments more. It’s a sight to see, truly, how such a massive and threatening Witcher curls into a ball and buries his face into the pillows, trying to melt into the mattress. Eskel huffs a laugh and pulls on his boots, then stands and goes to the chest at the end of the bed to look for a shirt. He needs to sort it out, as it’s a mess of linens and shirts that belong to no one anymore, as they’ve been passed around the Witchers through the seasons enough so that no one claims them anymore.

He picks a white shirt —or one that had been white to begin with, now faded into creamy brown— and turns back, meeting his reflection in the mirror. His chest is littered with scars, white lines that are bright against his golden skin, and he can see he’s already starting to fill out, the nutritious meals of Kaer Morhen already showing results. His stomach is no longer sucked in; instead of the hard lines and stretched skin, he finds there’s a growing layer of fat covering it. He pokes a finger at it and grins, the soft skin bouncing back as he pulls back. There’s a soft noise at his back and he looks at the mirror, finding Geralt looking at him, fondness and adoration breaking through his gaze.

“You look good,” he rumbles. “Makes for a good pillow.”

Eskel smiles at his reflection in the mirror and turns back. “Glad to be of use,” he teases and pulls the shirt over his head.

Geralt stretches his arms out, still sitting half-naked on the bed, and Eskel meets him halfway, pulling him into his arms. He breathes in deeply at the spot behind his ear, spices and hay filling his senses, over an underlying scent of pure contentedness. He smiles.

“I have to go,” he whispers against Geralt’s hair.

“Okay.” Geralt rests his forehead against Eskel’s. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

Eskel smiles softly and presses a chaste kiss to his lips. “See you downstairs. Don’t go back to sleep, or it will be Vesemir waking you up this time.”

“Hmm. Doesn’t sound nice.”

“It won’t be, believe me.” With a final kiss, Eskel stands up. “I’ll go see the horses.”

“Say hi to Scorpion for me.”

“Will do,” Eskel says with a grin, and closes the door behind him. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! find me on [tumblr](http://julek.tumblr.com/).


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